Whirling toy



U. T. WALKER 'WHIRLING TOY Feb. 22, 1949.

2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Dec. 28, .1945

r e M T d y.

Feb. 22, 1949. u. 'r. WALKER 2,462,576

WHIRLING TOY 2 Sheets-$het 2 Filed Dec. 28, 1945 77' 15 zzmziw Patented Feb. 22, 1949 do, throng walker, Hollywood, Fla.

2362.51 .WH B Qif -OX .1 2.. F

(cut-47x This invention relates to a whirling toy and it is an object of theinve'ntionto provide a device of this kind including an elongated member having an element freely mounted thereon and wherein the element and elongated member are provided with coact'ing" means whereby the element may be caused to rotate by gravity along the member when said member is in substantially avertical position. l

It is also an object of 'the invention toprovide a device or this kindincludingan elongated member on'which a plurality of elements" are freely mounted and wherein the elements and member are provided with coacting means to effect rotation by gravity of the elements in reverse directions.

The invention consists in the details of construction and in the combination and arrangement of the several parts of my improved whirling toy whereby certain important advantages are aton the line 2-2 of Figure 1, looking in the direction of the arrow;

Figure 3 is a sectional view taken on the line 3--3 of Figure 1, looking in the direction of the arrow;

Figure 4 is an enlarged fragmentary view partly in elevation and partly in section of the upper portion of the device as illustrated in Figure 1 and substantially on the line 44 of Figure 2;

Figure 5 is a fragmentary view partly in top plan and partly in section of the upper rotating member as comprised in Figure 1;

Figure 6 is a view similar to Figure 5 of the lower rotatable member of Figure 1; and

Figure 7 is a fragmentary elevational view of one end portion of an elongated member embodying another form of the invention.

In the embodiment of the invention as illustrated in Figures 1 to 6 of the drawings, M denotes an elongated cylindrical member of desired dimensions and of a size whereby the extremities can be readily grasped by a child.

The major portion of the member M and arranged substantially centrally thereof is provided with the reversely disposed spiral grooves I and 2 disposed circumferentially around and along the ti be llj i e. se .ri eh; an f r each; other" at right a gles; as clearly illu in Figure shoe or the'dr'awin gsi Associ'ated'with the nimbr Mare'fthe rotatin elements R and Eof's'ubs'tantiallythe sameicori' struction. Theiel'e'm'ent R co iiiprisesja central block e'fheremj disclosd'as substantiauy cubical in rorfi. and which hasdisposed axially therethrough'a bore 4 through which is snugly inserted themembfer I u r "The block 3 carries apair bf pins 5 whichex tend inwardly of the bore 4 a distance sufficient to be received within the spiral groove I. Each of these pins 5 is of a diameter substantially equal to the width of the groove I which is substantially the same throughout its length.

The pins 5 are offset one from the other in a direction lengthwise of the member M as determined by the pitch of the groove I and are spaced apart a distance in excess of the width of the second groove 2. This is important as by the use of the two pins 5 and their particular relative locations, as the element R travels by gravity in either direction along the member M and rotates as the result of the coaction of the pins 5 with the side walls of the groove I, neither of the pins 5 will enter the groove 2 and thus interfere with the desired rotary action of the element R as it travels along the member M.

The element R also includes the oppositely directed and aligned elongated arms 6 rigidly carried by the block 3 and the outer extremities of the arms 6 at points substantially equidistantly spaced from the block 3 carry the enlargements or heads I each of which is also herein disclosed as substantially cubical.

These arms 6, together with the heads I, while increasing the attraction of the toy to the child when in use, also serve to provide means to facilitate the desired gravital movement and rotation of the element R as it travels downwardly along the member M when held in substantially a vertical position. This downward movement is readily effected in both directions by merely reversing the substantially vertical position of the member M.

It is also to be pointed out that the downward movement of the element R in one direction is limited by contact of a pin 5 with the extremity of the outer wall a of the second groove 2 while the movement of the element R in the opposite direction is limited by the contact of the block 3 with the central block 8 of the element E.

This block 8, the same as the block 3, is provided with a central bore 9 through which the groove 2.

3 member M is also snugly directed and the block 8 carries a pair of pins i extending inwardly of the bore 9 sufliciently to be received within the These pins ID are offset lengthwise of the member M as determined by the pitch of the groove 2 and are also spaced apart a distance in excess of the groove l for the same purposes as hereinbefore set forth relative to the pins 5.

The gravital movement of the element E in one direction along the member M is limited by contact of one of the pins In with the outer wall of an extremity of the groove I while the move ment of the element E in the opposite direction is limited by contact of the block 8 with the block 3 of the element R.

As illustrated in the drawings, the opposite extremities of the grooves I and 2 are in direct communication but in the embodiment of the invention as illustrated in Figure 7, the elongated member A has one end of a spiral groove II in communication with the reverse spiral groove 12 at a point inwardly of the adjacent end of the groove 12 and at the opposite extremity of the member A the arrangement of the grooves II and I2 is substantially the same.

From the foregoing description it is thought to be obvious that a whirling toy constructed in accordance with my invention is particularly well adapted for use by reason of the convenience and facility with which it may be assembled and operated.

I claim:

A toy of the class described comprising a long member of round cross-section, crossing spiral grooves extending along said member in substantially the same pitch, two rotating elements having bores through which the long member is freely disposed, and a pair of spaced pins carried by each of said rotating elements and projecting into the bore thereof, the pairs of pins of said elements engaging in separate grooves, said pins of each element being disposed in a plane oblique to the axis of the bore of the element in accordance with the pitch of the groove the pins of each pair being spaced apart a distance in excess of the width of the grooves, and the plane of the pins of one pair being perpendicular to the plane of the other pair for the engagement of the pairs of pins in separate grooves whereby to cause one element to rotate reversely to the other element.

UEL THEODORE WALKER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 372,479 McKee Nov. 1, 1887 1,304,714 Starrett May 27, 1919 2,299,582 Lohse Oct. 20, 1942 2,395,549 Hojnowski Feb. 26, 1946 

